NATIONALISM(S)

IMPERIO, GLOBALIZACIÓN Y DIVERSIDAD

MARIOLA RUIZ RODRÍGUEZ

PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS (FOOD FOR THOUGH)

- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63029909

-According to you, how could you define NATIONALISM?

-What is the difference betweet NATIONALISM and a DICTATORSHIP?

-Which social conditions favour a dictatorship?

-What is the most important characteristic(s) to create and maintain a dictatorship?

What is nationalism?

 Nationalism is the ideology and political movement that exacerbates

the sense of belonging and identity that an individual or group has
over their nation. While the patriot is the person who feels love for
his/her country, the nationalist requires a clear political position,
generally associated with a party and tending to action.

 Nationalism defends the union of State and nation (understanding the

nation as the basis of the State) and the common traits between the
individuals that inhabit it (language, culture, customs, traditions). In
addition, it postulates the need to govern and inhabit all the territory
that is considered to belong to the nation, this has been the subject of
long debates and wars between nations.
When does the concept of
nationalism arise?
 Although we can find precedents for what nationalism would be in
certain reactions against feudalism by an incipient bourgeoisie, the
concept of nationalism is associated with the emergence of States
as the center of social and political organization.

 The rise of nationalism went through different stages, being its

harshest expression during the 20th century, when ideologies such
as Nazism in Germany, Francoism in Spain or fascism in Italy showed
how dangerous the exacerbation of nationalism is.
 The most resounding case is that of Germany, Adolf Hitler channeled
German discontent and frustration over the defeat of the First World
War into an exacerbation of national identity and racism. Nationalist
pride became the justification for a despotic regime, which believed
that its country was destined to occupy a preferential place with
respect to other countries and cultures.

 Exacerbated nationalism can lead to acts of xenophobia,

discrimination, and violence.
Types of Nationalism

 Liberal Nationalism: Identifies each nation with the liberal values of

equality, tolerance and freedom added to an active participation
of citizens. For liberal nationalism, the emergence of each nation is
the product of the will of the citizens that compose it.

 Religious Nationalism: Identify each nation with a religion.

 Romantic Nationalism: It identifies each nation with an ethnic group

and reflects ideas of romanticism, such as the development of a
national language, the promotion of local customs and traditions.
 Ethnic Nationalism: It identifies each nation with an ethnic group in
which the nationality is transmitted from generation to generation.

 Inclusive Nationalism: It seeks the union of populations with

common traits that inhabit and are part of different states.

 Disintegrating Nationalism: It seeks the separation of a minority from

the State of which it is a part for having features that differentiate it
from the majority.
Characteristics of nationalism

 Use symbols. The flags, hymns, saints are used by nationalism to exacerbate a
national identity and mark differences with respect to other nations.
 It uses common elements. Language, historical accounts, culture and religion
are used by nationalism to generate identity and foster internal unity.
 It is based on the idea of a nation-state. The figure of a nation is used, which is
delimited by a territory inhabited by a population that shares characteristics
and is administered by political power.
 It fosters a feeling of belonging. National identity is exacerbated to generate
ties between citizens.
 *It promotes the difference between nations. Some external figure is used as
an enemy of the nation to justify their nationalist ideas and actions. Excessive
pride in belonging to a nation provokes feelings of superiority in individuals
compared to individuals from other nations.
Causes of Nationalism

Among the main causes that motivate individuals to adhere to

nationalist ideologies or groups are:

 External threat. It occurs when the population of a country feels

threatened by another nation and seeks to defend its identity.

 Need to belong. Man is a social and tribal being who seeks to

belong to groups and identify with their members. Belonging to a
nation grants identity and allows the full development of citizens.
Examples of Nationalism

 Basque nationalism: From the 19th century to the present day, part of the
Basque people who live in northern Spain and France defend their
nationality (language, traditions, cultural identity) and seek independence
and the consolidation of their own State.
 Irish nationalism: Emerged in the nineteenth century, it is a political
movement that fights to free the Irish people from the domination of
England by defending their culture and their Catholic religion.
Criticism against Nationalism
Nationalism has been the focus of much criticism since its emergence in the 19th
century. Among the most prominent are:
 It generates divisions between countries and cultures, which prevents the
development of a globalized, open and pluralistic world society.
 Considers one's own race or culture superior to others, which generates rejection of
the different and closed societies.
 It was the cause of the two World Wars that caused an unprecedented escalation
of violence, as each country sought to show its power, stand out and differentiate
itself from the others.
 It uses violence as a control mechanism and a symbol of power.
 It produces serious consequences due to immigration restrictions, which generates
resentment between peoples and nations.
 It uses contempt for other nations as a way to consolidate its power and national
identity.
 It uses cultural and national identity as a shield for political and economic decisions.
Nationalism Vs. Patriotism

The terms nationalism and patriotism are frequently used as synonyms,

because both refer to the idea of the nation-state. However, they are
different concepts:

 On the one hand, nationalism uses that national identity to carry out a
political or economic action that defends the interests of the nation. This
ideology expresses ideas of superiority over other nations or cultures,
which differentiates it from patriotism, which does not influence the
relationship with other nations.
 On the other hand, patriotism is understood as the feeling of belonging
that an individual has towards their country of origin. It manifests itself in
the social and cultural sphere and leads him to protect and defend the
national identity.
Nationalism Vs. Dictatorship

 A dictatorship promotes an authoritarian and totalitarian, anti-

democratic and militaristic State, anchored in the notions of
homeland and race, which translated into the oppression and
persecution of minorities.

 A manifestation of the extreme right, anti-liberal, that mobilizes the

entire society against a real or imaginary external enemy,
establishing a kind of “military citizenship”.
Characteristics of a dictatorship

 It is a nationalist and militarist ideological or political movement, with a

radical, violent and confrontational spirit, which exalts the notions of
homeland and/or race, to the detriment of minorities, foreigners and anyone
considered different.
 It almost always appeals to notions of purity, combat and victory, also
proclaiming itself as heir to a glorious past to recover.
 It encourages the organization of irregular or parallel armed forces to
persecute their adversaries and subject society to a state of intimidation.
 It proposes a single-party, totalitarian and authoritarian state model, built
around the supposed infallibility of a charismatic leader.
 Ideologically, it is usually proposed as a "third way" between right and left,
which generally means arbitrarily applying practices associated with one or
another tendency.
Examples of Dictatorships

 Nazism: Emerging in the first half of the 20th century, it was a form of
extreme nationalism that promoted and defended German culture
and identity and sought to recover the territories that had been part
of the Holy Roman Empire. It was characterized by venerating the
image of a leader and by its racist, anti-Semitic ideas and the use of
violence as a way to control the masses.
 Fascism: Emerged in Italy at the beginning of the 20th century under
the command of Benito Mussolini, it exalted the values of the
country, the oppression of minorities, the use of violence and
expansionist ideas.
Fascism/Nazism nowadays

 The resurgence of fascism is often defined under the name of neo-fascism or

neo-Nazism. Several European movements that emerged in the 1980s and
1990s adhered to this ideology, exhibiting a retro aesthetic and a tendency
towards street violence, as well as racist nationalism. However, they did not
have greater relevance in the political panorama of their countries.

 At the beginning of the 21st century, different far-right parties emerged in

central and eastern European nations, such as Austria, France, and Hungary.
In some cases they managed to seize power through elections.

 https://www.newtral.es/ultraderecha-paises-europa-extrema-
derecha/20220217/

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2kb1EGx8bk